For Daniel Espino, a thud against the wall came before the pop of the mitt. The Georgia Premier Academy senior is the hardest-throwing prep pitcher in next week's MLB draft, unleashing 100 mph fury from the mound the same way he used to let loose in his living room.
His father is a doctor, so there was always an available stash of medical tape in their Panama home. Espino and his oldest brother would return from school and adhere a strike zone to the wall. They would take baseballs and fire away, to the detriment of family members seeking siestas.